Share this:

After the latest missed field-goal try in his forgettable season, David Akers trudged to the sideline, violently slammed his helmet to the ground and sat, alone, near the end of San Francisco’s bench.

The mild-mannered kicker’s frustration clearly had reached a boiling point.

And, possibly, the 49ers‘ have reached their limit with Akers, 38, who pushed first-half field-goal attempts of 44 and 40 yards wide left in Sunday’s 27-13 win over Arizona.

In the aftermath of the victory, Jim Harbaugh didn’t assure Akers of a spot on the postseason roster. The 15-year veteran has missed 10 of 19 attempts from at least 40 yards this season. Akers’ 69 percent proficiency on field goals (29-for-42) ranks 30th in the NFL, and his blocked 21-yard attempt seemed to open the floodgates in a 42-13 loss in Seattle on Dec. 23.

Akers’ 35 postseason field goals rank second in NFL history. Will he get a chance to add to his total in January?

“I don’t know if we have to,” Harbaugh said when asked about possibly changing kickers. “We’ll evaluate the position. It’s his job to make the field goals.”

Akers, who was not in the locker room when the media entered after the game, sustained a pelvis injury earlier in the season, which prompted the 49ers to bring in experienced kickers Nate Kaeding and Billy Cundiff for tryouts in late November.

Kaeding since has signed with Miami. Cundiff, 32, remains a free agent after he was released by the Redskins on Oct. 10. He had made 7 of 12 attempts this season and missed a potential game-tying 32-yarder in last season’s AFC Championship Game as a member of the Ravens.

On Sunday, Akers did rebound in the second half to make field goals of 43 and 26 yards. Those kicks prompted at least one of his teammates to give Akers a stronger vote of confidence than Harbaugh was willing to offer.

“I don’t think that’s going to happen,” cornerback Tarell Brown said when asked about Akers possibly being released. “He’s a veteran. He’s been there. He’s done that. He missed two field goals, but he came back and made two more. It’s part of the game.”